Scots Barbie star Sharon Rooney’s rise to fame from BBC sitcom to Hollywood

Scottish actress Sharon Rooney first made a name for herself as Christine’s daughter Sophie when she starred in the Scots BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, and she’s been quickly climbing the ladder in the cut-throat industry ever since.

The 34-year-old, who hails from Glasgow but lives in Dumbarton, has starred in a number of successful roles over the years including My Mad Fat Diary, Dumbo, Brief Encounters, The Control Room and most recently, brushed shoulders with Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.

Sharon attended Knightswood Primary and Secondary School and was raised in the Temple area of the city before she left school at the tender age of 16 to pursue her dreams in acting, according to reports in Glasgow Live.

When asked what it’s like to be in her shoes as ‘just a girl from Scotland’ the actress said she had a real ‘pinch me’ moment, as she first began her dream career in Two Doors Down in 2013 when it was a movie before joining the cast again when it turned into a series.

Not long after she landed the role of Rae in the comedy-drama show My Mad Fat Diary, with her character depicting a role who struggles with her body image and mental health, having spent four months in a psychiatric hospital.

This was a major milestone for the Glasgow star who scooped a BAFTA Scotland Award after working alongside Tim Burton. She has since worked with major stars including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon as well as the Two Doors Down cast.

Sharon is now working her way to becoming a household name after landing her biggest gig yet in Greta Gerwig’s popular movie Barbie as ‘Lawyer Barbie’ which has taken the world by storm alongside fellow Glasgow actor and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa.

People rushed to praise how far she has come, with one writing: “I’m gonna get so nostalgic seeing you on the big screen! I used to dress more grungy 10 something years ago when My Mad Fat Diary graced our lives and I saw so much of myself in your character and her aesthetic. Now that I dress like Barbie all the time, seeing you in *this* movie feels like finding an old friend again but on this new chapter of my life. Sorry for the heartfelt rambling.”

Sharon’s next career move will see her appear in the TV series Nightsleeper, which, according to IMDB, is about a “train between Glasgow and London crosses U.K. escalates while a government agency tries to intervene. Two people who’ve never met, work together to save the lives of passengers as the Heart of Britain service hurtles towards destination”.

Continuing to inspire women, the actress told her nearly 200k Instagram followers: “Don’t let me ever hear you say dreams don’t come true because they do! So buy that hot pink power suit and go for your dreams because magic things happen when you believe in YOU!”

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